


Night Study

by IAmZodi



Category: Hades (Video Game 2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Autistic Thanatos (Hades Video Game), Awkward Crush, Crush at First Sight, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Getting to Know Each Other, I Don't Even Know, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Running Away, Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-17
Updated: 2021-03-26
Packaged: 2021-03-26 15:48:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30108324
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IAmZodi/pseuds/IAmZodi
Summary: "This is a waste of time for me!" he growled. "I'm supposed to be studying! Not fooling around with women in nearly-revealing two-piece swimsuits and getting drunk with some total strangers!" Behind him was Hera slapping Zeus for flirting with another girl. "See what I mean?! It's chaotic!""Who would even bother flirting or drinking with you?! Just sit around and join the picture talking and--you know what? Just go and mope inside your lonely house! Come on, Kore!"Hades grumbled before he spotted this blonde young woman, braided, green-eyed, being pulled by Demeter."Mom, wait!" the woman named Kore yelped as she was being taken into the party against her wishes. "Mom!""Not now, Kore! We just hired a photographer to get our family picture taken! Let's go!"Hades wanted to tell Demeter that her daughter was not being comfortable with the crowd, but the distance and the increasing flood of guests were too much to deal with.He hailed a taxi and took one more glance at Demeter's daughter before telling the driver his destination.
Relationships: Hades & Nyx (Hades Video Game), Hades & Zeus (Hades Video Game), Hades/Persephone (Hades Video Game), Nyx & Persephone (Hades Video Game)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 12





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> An AU where Hades and the rest are gone to college and Zeus brought Persephone to him one night while in the middle of studying.

Zeus and Poseidon were already preparing for Olympus College. Lots of fun. Lots of girls. Lots of booze.  
Hades wanted none of them. He just wanted his peace away from this big, screwed-up family.  
Hestia was focused on becoming a nun. Good. Demeter decided to run off with a farmer and had a kid at such a young age. Fine, who cared? And then there's Hera, the self-proclaimed part of the family, nagging about her boyfriend stealing glances with those college babes. Whatever.  
Hades didn't care. Damn, he wanted to get out of that wretched family. He just wanted to be alone, not wanting to get involved with whatever mess they have!  
So when there was this night college, he scoffed "Whatever! Rather than dealing with all their crap!"  
And so he planned to enroll at a night college and studied at his own time and pace to be qualified.  
Everything was doing great until his brother Zeus came knocking at the door.  
"Yo, Hades! You there?"  
 _What is Zeus doing here?!_  
Hades, grumbling at the voice of his annoying brother, opened the door, the chain lock keeping the door from opening too wide. "What the hell are you doing here?! I'm studying for the entrance exams!" he snarled.  
"Sheesh, you're such a killjoy and I haven't said anything yet!"  
"What do you want?!"  
"There's something I got to show you!"  
Hades became skeptical immediately. "This better not be about another of those girls you're planning to have a date with."  
"No! No! I promise you that it's waaaay different! Now get looking great!"  
Hades shook his head. _He's going to regret this._

 _And he was right. Zeus took him to the family reunion party._  
 _Fuck._  
"Hey, Zeus!" Leto greeted.  
"Hey, Leto! Nice outfit!"  
"Thanks!"  
Hades grumbled to himself as they both went through the crowd. _It's so damn noisy and chaotic!_  
"Zeus! Hades!" Poseidon waved from the crowded pool with a drink in hand.  
"You're drinking in the pool?!!" Hades exclaimed as Zeus dragged him into the house. "This is stupid, Zeus! I knew I shouldn't have come here!"  
"Come on, Hades!" Zeus huffed. "You're the one who never joins our little get-togethers! What kind of a brother are you?!"  
"Some brother who wants to live in peace, not like you guys!" he snarled back. "That's it! I'm leaving!!"  
"Hades, wait!"  
Hades walked across the crowd, pushing some of them away when they did not give him enough space.  
"Hades, where are you going?!"  
The sulking young man glared at Demeter upon hearing her. "What?!"  
"This is supposed to be a celebration for winning the finals against the Titans! Why are you leaving?!"  
"This is a waste of time for me!" he growled. "I'm supposed to be studying! Not fooling around with women in nearly-revealing two-piece swimsuits and getting drunk with some total strangers!" Behind him was Hera slapping Zeus for flirting with another girl. "See what I mean?! It's chaotic!"  
"Who would even bother flirting or drinking with you?! Just sit around and join the picture talking and--you know what? Just go and mope inside your lonely house! Come on, Kore!"  
Hades grumbled before he spotted this blonde young woman, braided, green-eyed, being pulled by Demeter.  
"Mom, wait!" the woman named Kore yelped as she was being taken into the party against her wishes. "Mom!"  
"Not now, Kore! We just hired a photographer to get our family picture taken! Let's go!"  
Hades wanted to tell Demeter that her daughter was not being comfortable with the crowd, but the distance and the increasing flood of guests were too much to deal with.  
He hailed a taxi and took one more glance at Demeter's daughter before telling the driver his destination.

Hades managed to pass the entrance exams, and his college life went smoothly without the troublesome family bothering him. They had their own problems to solve, and he remained focused on his own doing.  
 _The only thing that his mind could not ignore was that daughter of Demeter. Blonde braided hair, green eyes, all in all beautiful._  
 _He hated to admit it, but he developed a one-sided attraction towards Kore since then, but she being young, he chose to simply absorb himself into getting his degree and then his employment, wait until she was old enough to start a conversation with._

"Hey there, Hades!"  
Hades glared at his brother Zeus by the near-open doorway. "What are you doing here?!"  
"Let me in first."  
"No!"  
"Then come out."  
"Listen, Zeus," he snapped as he opened his door wide, "I don't have time for all this nonsensical chit chat, now if you please let me--" His eyes widened when at the corner of his eye stood Demeter's daughter carrying her luggage. "Zeus! What is she doing here?!"  
"Relax, Hades. She just needed a place to stay," Zeus replied. "You see, Kore asked me to take her away to her dad's place, but something happened, so I took her here!"  
"What?!"  
"Please, Hades, you got to give her a place to stay! This is the only place she knows where her mom won't even bother looking!"  
He looked at Kore, who was looking at him like she didn't want to be part of her foster uncle's shenanigans but preferred staying anywhere but Olympus. He facepalmed. "This is why I hate you, Zeus! You are making problems and then shrug them off like you didn't make them in the first place!!"  
"Have a heart, Hades. It's not like you have a hidden crush on Kore!"  
Hades's cheeks flushed. "You know what, fine! She stays here at my house! But I will always hate your fucking guts!"  
"Alright, alright," Zeus waved his hands coaxingly. "I'll be off now! Lots of homework!"  
"Right. Like yours happened to be greater than mine!" Hades snarled as he widened his door for Kore to get in. He even carried her heavy luggage into the living room as Zeus bade farewell from his lightning-fast car. The roaring of the vehicle blared as it raced back home, while Hades grumbled again as he slammed the door shut. "Fuck that Zeus! Shit!"  
Kore just stood in the middle of the living room, looking around. She found the house pretty gothic with the skull collections of both humans and animals, and the black curtains and all. She was not expecting Hades, looking elegant and all, to be an inner goth.  
"Um, where can I sit?"  
Hades mellowed a bit and looked at her, then at the couch. "Sit where you find comfortable. Have you eaten something along the way?"  
"Just a pack of gyros."  
He groaned. "I can't believe this! He just let you eat gyros and nothing else?!"  
"Well, yes." Kore's stomach went growling, audible to his hearing.  
"Damn that guy! Wait here!" Hades sighed heavily and heated his meal. "You may not like my food here, but better than you getting an ulcer." He closed the stove and gave her a part of his dinner in a bowl.  
She looked at the bowl. Instant noodles. "This is all you eat in here?"  
"I got canned beans, canned tuna...Well, almost all are canned. I am too busy studying, and I have to finish the thesis with Nyx."  
Kore tasted it and grimaced. " _Ugh!_ What are you eating today? Just salt, artificially flavored soup, and noodles? I'm surprised that you never got kidney problems with all this."  
"When college life makes you busy, you have no time to cook for yourself, Kore--"  
"Oh, gods! Please stop calling me that!"  
Hades raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong with that?"  
"It's disgusting! I prefer calling myself 'Persephone'," she groaned. "I always called myself that, especially that it's the name my father gave me." She sulked. "I never got the chance to even visit his grave…"  
He looked away. "Sorry that you never got the chance to…"  
Persephone continued eating that bowl of instant noodles. "You know what, you need to add some vegetables to this. Carrots! And a few spices!"  
"What?"  
"I mean, it's not going to take that long cooking your noodles with some minced veggies."  
Hades paused. "Have it your way, then. It's not that you need to sit and do nothing while you're here. I got to prepare for the next lesson tomorrow."  
Persephone nodded and finished her dinner before she stood taking the bowl with her so she would clean it up  
Meanwhile, he opened the door to his bedroom and placed all of Persephone's things. He then replaced his pillows with new ones while he took his bedroom belongings and his books on the couch.  
"You can stay up in my bedroom. I'll sleep on the couch tonight."  
"Are you sure that you're going to be okay?" she asked.  
"Don't mind me. Just use my bed. I'll manage here."  
Persephone cleaned the dishes and headed towards Hades' bedroom, but she stole a few glances at him, who was still reading his book and taking down notes.  
He noticed her looking and so he spoke. "You got something to say?"  
"Oh, um, no," she replied. She proceeded towards his bedroom when she spotted three dogs on a large pet crib. Persephone gasped and stepped back as the dogs growled a bit before they stretched their backs.  
Hades' eyes widened and stood up, rushing towards his bedroom where she almost approached. He then saw his dogs sniffing at her and then at her belongings.  
Persephone stepped back, a little panicked, as the dogs began to look at her. "N-Nice doggies…"  
Hades' voice boomed. "Alpha! Beta! Gamma! Sit!"  
The dogs obeyed, tongues sticking out, and stared at their master.  
"Sorry about my dogs," he apologized to her. "Aside from Nyx, who sleeps in the other room over there, I also have these."  
"They're kinda...big and scary…" she remarked nervously.  
"They won't be when you get to know them." He introduced his pets to her. "This sleepy one is Gamma. The ever-watchful here us Alpha, and Beta…" Hades rubbed his hand against the third dog's head. "He prefers being petted like this."  
Persephone tried to reach for Beta's head, a little worried she was. Hades gently took her hand and called Beta to approach.  
With a wagging tail, Beta sniffed and asked for some petting from her. Eventually, at Hades' behest, Persephone relented and realized that Beta was not as frightening as she believed, and then the two dogs followed suit, licking her cheeks. "Oh! Hey!" she giggled as the dogs expressed how they liked this stranger.  
Hades never smiled before, and when Persephone noticed that, she never thought that he was such a cute and cool guy behind the gruff exterior. _Maybe a little gruff and on the inside, and tended to swear a lot, but still._  
"Alright boys, give her space to breathe," he told them. The three red dogs wagged their tails as they headed back to their bed.  
"They're nice dogs!" Persephone commented.  
"They're _guard dogs_ ," he corrected.  
"Guard dogs?"  
"There was an attempted break-in here. You know, Nyx had a lot of expensive stuff, a sight for greedy eyes, so I took those three from the animal shelter before they got euthanized for being aggressive."  
"What?!" she gasped in disbelief. "You mean, they bit you before?"  
"Not a chance. They just sat down staring at me with tails wagging while the other dogs just shrink back like crazy scared. I don't know why."  
 _"Maybe because you were a tall, scary, imposing figure?"_ her mind wondered. _"Just maybe. You looked like a cover magazine model though, if only you learned how to smile, and if only those crimson eyes were not crimson. Those eyes look unique, on the other hand."_  
"What's with that look?"  
"Oh, uh, what?"  
He looked away again. Damn! That smile on her face and those pretty green eyes made his heart pound like crazy.  
"Nevermind...! You better go to sleep! It's late at night. Aren't you supposed to be resting?"  
"Yeah, but there's just one problem."  
"What is that?"  
Persephone pouted in embarrassment, biting her lower lip. "I couldn't sleep without hugging something."  
Hades' eyes widened. "What…?"  
"Sorry, it was quite a habit of mine. My father used to be by my side. You know, he had the same build as yours, but he's a shorter guy." She smiled at him. "Don't think of it the wrong way. It was a father-daughter cuddle." Persephone's eyes saddened. "It was a way of expressing our father-daughter bond. We share jokes, stories...pain…"  
"What happened to him?"  
"He was sick," she narrated. "He was too hardworking, and it gave his body, his heart, a strain. He got in and out of the hospital several times. Then when my mom took me away, I was afraid that it broke his heart. You see, I am closer to my dad because he wasn't bossy like Mom."  
Hades scoffed. "Demeter's always bossy."  
"I know, and with them in Olympus being a big mess to deal with, I just thought I should go back to my dad. But…"  
"He died…"  
She made a fearful, sorrowful frown. There was no need for words to describe it.  
Hades hugged her, much to her surprise.  
It was awkward...but he was warm and fuzzy, enough to hug him back.  
And Hades gulped as his face flushed. "You know what, I'll let this slide. I'll catch up with my studies later until you sleep."  
When he wiped her tears with his thumbs, she hung low and blushed as they went to that bed and placed the blanket on them. She thought she was having a crush on this grumpy college student.  
 _This is awkward, so awkward…_  
 _But it felt warm and fuzzy…_  
 _And they fell asleep._


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You want me to help Nyx with her son's birthday?" Hades raised an eyebrow.
> 
> "Just the streamers," she said, hoping to persuade him even for this time. "I'll help you study after that."
> 
> He wanted to decline as he had too much work in his hands earlier, but those green eyes pleading to him made him relent. "Look, I don't want you to help me, not that I hate you to interfere, don't get me wrong. I should be doing that. You just eat, dance, and party if that's what you want, but don't drink too much alcoholic punch!"
> 
> "I don't, usually."
> 
> "We'll clean that party up and I'll be back to continue with my studies, deal?"
> 
> "Deal!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It appears that Hades is quite an overachiever, so why does he even bother to study?
> 
> Nyx is a fan of elegant goth. She also has organizational problems.
> 
> One reluctant Hades to the rescue.

_It was like a dream having your crush beside you, and she's cuter when asleep._

Hades blinked as he stared at her angelic face. Beautiful, beautiful Persephone.

_If only they could stay like this forever…_

Unfortunately, he missed three hours of studying, so he had to catch up soon, but before he left the bed, he stared back and left a light kiss on her blonde hair. _Better be careful._

He headed back to the living room to start studying again until he saw a dark-skinned blonde toddler holding a page of his hotel and management book.

_He was staring at this tall scary guy with his bright amber eyes, frozen on the floor still vertically holding that page. He let the page go and went towards his young mom._

"Thanatos," Nyx called and gave him a pat on the head. "Curious about that book? It's not like the ones in daycare."

The toddler said nothing as Hades went flipping the pages backward. He held his mom tight as he looked at the big guy grumble before inserting a bookmark on the page where he was supposed to be. "You never told me that you're coming! Not even a message on the phone!" he scolded, albeit his tone was a little controlled because of the visitor in his room. "He better not scream!"

"No, Thanatos doesn't scream," Nyx sternly replied. "What he did is look for some pictures in the book. He thought it was similar to those nursery books back in the daycare center."

"Just tell him not to touch my things!"

"I will. You don't have to tell me." She sighed heavily and went heading towards her room until she saw his bedroom open, finding a young woman in there sleeping. "Who is this?"

Hades hushed. "A visitor! Now leave her alone!"

"I see. Is she your girlfriend?" _The question caused him to drop some of his notes on the floor._

He gave her a glare. "No!"

"Okay." Nyx headed towards her room with Thanatos walking ahead. She turned the doorknob and let him in first before she entered.

Hades swore as he began organizing his notes again. "Fuck!"

Persephone woke up meeting the dogs resting their chins on the bed, all of them wagging their tails. She yawned and smiled at them. "Good morning!" she greeted. They all barked.

Hades was gone. He went to the grocery to buy some stuff. It might take long before he would get home.

Someone was cooking in the kitchen downstairs and the scent was pretty scrumptious. She then heard another voice telling a specific Hypnos not to touch Hades' study materials.

Curious, she fixed her hair, fixed the bed, and stepped down the stairs where she met a thin kid watching over his younger brother.

_The house was quiet until she woke up. How long had she slept before the place turned busy?_

"Huh?" The skinny boy wearing a cap looked at Persephone. The boy, whom he was watching over, glanced towards her location and stood up leaving the stairs.

A yawn from another boy caught Persephone's attention. Hypnos went walking around drooping. Afraid that he might hit his head, she quickly stepped down towards the toddler and carried him up in her arms. "Whoopsie-daisy!"

Nyx heard the commotion and discovered that Hades' visitor was finally awake. "Good day."

Being surrounded by people having black motifs began to make her feel even more out of place. "Um, hi!"

"Hades just went out to buy some stuff. He'll be back shortly," the young mom told her. "By the way, I'm Nyx, and these three are my kids. The one in the kitchen is our personal cook and the little girl on the chair is Megaera, my foster daughter." She called the attention of the kids sans the sleeping toddler in Persephone's arms. "Charon, Thanatos, come meet the visitor."

Persephone smiled at them. "Hey there, I'm Persephone."

"Hmm," the skinny Charon nodded. Thanatos shyly hid behind his older brother as Nyx took the sleepy toddler from Persephone's arms.

"This sleepyhead is Hypnos, my youngest. Sorry about him being sleepy."

"Oh, no problem at all," Persephone replied. "So, uh, you share rent with Hades?"

"Oh, it's actually my house."

"Uh, what?!"

Nyx laughed a bit. "I know, and it's pretty surprising. My family pretty much owns the house and the lot. This place I bought when I got my money. Honestly, it was pretty much of a mess until Hades showed up to ask if I accept transients. You see, I posted for one just way before you came in."

"Oh, so he's a tenant!"

"Yeah. And by the looks of it, he's pretty good at organizing stuff better than I do since, you know." She showed her kids again.

"Who's their father?"

Nyx paused and sighed. "I'd rather not discuss who or where their father is now. For all I care, he's probably in the dark moping about breaking up with me."

"What do you mean?"

"After breaking up with him, the last I heard from him is his failed attempt to get a nice job and a new girlfriend. In other words, unemployed and loveless, hopefully for life."

"That was cruel."

"Life is cruel when karma bites." Nyx smiled and settled Hypnos into the bedroom. "By the way, are you free tonight? No exams or whatever?"

"Oh, no. I dropped out to stay away from my family," she replied while following the young mom.

"You ran away?"

"Well, sort of."

Nyx looked at her. "What university?"

"Olympus."

"That was prestigious and you threw it away?"

"I guess I just did," Persephone shrugged. "My family gives a lot of influence in there, you know, the bickering and the backstabbing when they don't get their way. Imagine those from the middle class and the poor guys."

The young mom gasped. "And I thought breaking up was worse. Anyway, feel at home. Tell us if you need anything."

"That was...nice of you. Thanks," she said.

_Well, Nyx was a nice person behind her neat gothic outfit._

"Want to come to the mall with me? I was planning a party in the backyard."

"Wait, wouldn't that ruin Hades' concentration?"

"There's a lake beyond that, and the doors and windows here are all installed with noise buffers. He won't be disturbed."

"Oh, that's great! He can peacefully study when he needs to! So, what are we shopping for? Streamers? Party hats?"

"Not party hats! Pumpkins, skulls, juices to make punches." Nyx whispered in Persephone's ears. _"It's Thanatos' birthday!"_

She paused. "Ohhhh…!"

"He has this penchant over those things, especially with the punch looking like blood. I thought he should dress up as a vampire for the occasion!"

"So, he's into Halloween stuff?!"

"It depends. He gets a bit moody sometimes."

Persephone felt it odd for a toddler to like scary themes. "Okay...For the kid!"

-o-

Hades went home that afternoon as the sun was setting. It was a rough day at Nyx's family-owned office being a manager and a working student all at once. Everyone was scared of pissing him off and knowing how blunt and honest he was.

_Why was no one complaining about him? Because he was also chosen as the future CEO once he graduates. Talk about office hell!_

Regardless, he was back home in Nyx's house which Nyx herself would give the house and title to since she had another one finished, located at the other side of the lake.

He noticed that Persephone left a note on the fridge when he was about to fetch a bottle of Styx.

_Went to the mall with Nyx for the party. Will be back soon. -Persephone_

He drank his soda and headed towards his bedroom, finding the dogs ripping his pillows after being left alone. They wanted Persephone hands to pet them so badly.

"What the fuck?!"

"A little towards the left," Nyx said to the worker as he adjusted the streamer in hand, but it did not look as balanced as she wanted. "Slightly to the right." Still wrong. The elegant goth chick sighed.

"What's the matter?" Persephone asked her.

"The streamer doesn't look right," she sighed.

The visitor tried to help as well, but the streamer looked bad. Nyx felt hopeless. "My son's birthday is ruined…"

She pitied the young mom. "How about we take some rest and we'll do it again?"

"We'll run out of time. Hades can pull this off easily, but I can't disturb him!"

Persephone sighed and contemplated.

"You want me to help Nyx with her son's birthday?" Hades raised an eyebrow.

"Just the streamers," she said, hoping to persuade him even for this time. "I'll help you study after that."

He wanted to decline as he had too much work in his hands earlier, but those green eyes pleading to him made him relent. "Look, I don't want you to help me, not that I hate you to interfere, don't get me wrong. I should be doing that. You just eat, dance, and party if that's what you want, but don't drink too much alcoholic punch!"

"I don't, usually."

"We'll clean that party up and I'll be back to continue with my studies, deal?"

"Deal!"

"The party looks perfect!" Nyx uttered in relief once Hades finished organizing everything. "See? You really are a good organizer!"

"Don't flatter me! You bought everything like it's the damn dark-themed counterpart of my family's party!" he snarled. "I am weary now! I got to go back home!"

Persephone hugged him, and he froze looking shocked. "Thanks!"

 _You're welcome._ "Right, I need to go now…" He cleared his throat and left in his car.

Nyx noticed the blush on Persephone's face. "You like him?"

"What?! No! No." She covered her warm cheeks. "He's just being a good friend!"

"Good boyfriend material?"

"What are you talking about?!"

Nyx giggled. "Hades may not look like it at first glance, but he can be gentle if he has to."

She ignored it, but soon, as the party began and went well in each passing moment, Persephone glanced at the lonely house at the other end of the lake.

Hades' pen had not yet touched the draft paper. His other hand being his head support, he wondered if Persephone was doing fine.

_If they made her drunk, he might murder them._

A knock on the door caught his attention. He arranged his books neatly and his draft papers stacked properly before letting the paperweight secure them. He then opened the door and there stood his crush.

He checked the time. It was 7:48 PM. "That was early."

"I brought you some gyros and some pomegranate punch," Persephone offered. "I thought you'd like."

He paused. "You know that the punch has a bit of liquor in it, right?"

She giggled. "No, silly! These ones have Light Nectar!"

He paused again. "Just keep the other punch in the cooler." He took the gyros and placed them on the table while Persephone did what he said about the punch he refused to take. "I can't drink liquor tonight."

"I know, you're studying."

"Good."

"Gyros then?"

"Fine, very well." He just took a piece of a long thin fried potato and that was it, he just went back to studying.

Persephone watched him grumble and swear softly. He seemed to have a difficult time on something so she took a peek. "Gardening? Do you do gardening?"

"No, but it's part of that shitty subject for some reason, no offense to you, though."

"No, I don't, but maybe I can help," she offered again.

Hades was about to decline again when she sat down and took the book he was reading. Then she started speaking, and his mind stopped and his heart listened.

His crimson eyes stared at her as she discussed what the chapter was about. None of them got into his head!

"Do you understand?" she asked afterward.

Hades went startled. "Uh, what?"

She pouted. "You did not listen!"

"No, I mean, I got distracted, sorry."

Persephone paused and laughed at him. _She was not expecting him to be a bit of a dork!_

He looked away embarrassed and blushing. "Hey, stop that."

But it failed, as her laughter, her smile, began to become beautiful music to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hades can be a dork, as Persephone says.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Fuck..." he huffed in embarrassment. "Shit..."
> 
> Damn. It was still hard. He sighed, unable to restrain it. It was the worst moment having his own thing rise like that.
> 
> It worried him. Did she feel that? What if it scared her?! Dammit!
> 
> "I need to do something about this…"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Been focused on my other fics, so I just posted this one today.

"Good morning boys," Persephone petted Beta before the other dogs asked for one too. She happily obliged before she stepped out of Hades' bedroom.

The doorbell rang, prompting her to open the door. "How may I help you?"

"Is Mr. Hades there?"

"Oh, he left, only coming home late in the afternoon."

"There was an order under his name. Four pomegranate saplings."

She was surprised. _Why would Hades buy saplings?_

"Please sign here." The delivery guys handed her a pen.

She was about to speak, wondering if someone was trying to scam Hades when Nyx stepped out of her room. "Oh! Is that Hades' order? The pomegranate saplings?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Oh good!"

It seemed that the delivery was legit, so Persephone, being the closest, signed the delivery paper and the delivery man signaled the men to work.

She and Nyx stepped outside and found a garden beside the house where the men planted the pomegranate saplings.

"What's with the saplings?" Persephone asked.

Nyx shrugged. "I don't know. Hades just told me to keep it se--" She quickly covered her mouth. "Oh my. I need to send my boys to the seminar!"

"Wait! What were you trying to say--"

"Ask Hades!" Nyx took her keys and apologized. "Sorry, got to go!"

"Hey! Wait--"

Persephone watched the young mom's car start its engine and drove off towards the house at the end of the lake.

_Weird. Something's up._

Hades went back and the dogs met him by the door. He went patting their heads after patting Beta first. "How did you get out of the room?" he asked them.

"Oh, I just took them for a walk, that's all," Persephone replied once she fixed her head into a bun. "Nyx had her things transferred to her new house, but she said that she'll be visiting from time to time. Anyway, what's with the pomegranate saplings?"

Hades paused, Beta's tongue brushing across his lips. Wiping the dog drool off, he answered. "Well, I...thought you'd be bored, so…"

"You mean, the garden…"

Hades cleared his throat. "Well... _yes._ "

It made her elated, as she dreamed of having her garden. She ran and hugged him, much to his surprise. "You have no idea how much I wanted a garden!! Thank you!! Thaaaank you!!" Her giggles were like a child having her happiest birthday.

And Hades? He just hugged her. That made him inwardly happy. _And then later, awkward..._

 _His body just had an_ _awkward reaction_ _!!_

"W-W-Wait!!" he gasped. He let her go and cleared his throat again. "I, uh, need to head to the bathroom first…!"

"Oh, okay…?" She watched him climb up towards his room, which puzzled her since there's a bathroom in the kitchen…

"Fuck..." he huffed in embarrassment. "Shit..."

Damn. It was still hard. He sighed, unable to restrain it. It was the worst moment having his own thing rise like that.

_It worried him. Did she feel that? What if it scared her?! Dammit!_

"I need to do something about this…"

Persephone could not get her head out of Hades' sudden awkwardness. While thinking about it felt a bit funny, something else made her feel... _weirded out_.

She tried to focus on the garden. She stepped out towards that place and checked the pom saplings he bought for her. Wow! They're so healthy!

_And big!_

Persephone's mind froze. The word suddenly made her head short, now focusing on what was underneath Hades' pants.

Her face turned red.

Persephone could not sleep that night, her imaginations clouding in. Every time she closed her eyes, she was seeing that attractive Hades, from head to toe, then back there, right in the middle.

 _What the hell?!_ She shook her head. _She needed to stop thinking about that! She was about to mistake herself for a nympho!_

Hades had chosen to shower downstairs, and with the bedroom door open, she could hear the water flowing down that shower head, _streaming down Hades' vigorous, naked body…_

_Ack! Erase that! Erase that!_

"I shouldn't do that! I shouldn't imagine that!" she gasped and wheezed. She even tapped her already warm and flushing face. "Persephone...! Small…! Think small…! Like those cute pomegranate saplings…!"

_Robust pomegranate saplings…Oh God, it's not working!!_

_"No...She can't be interested in someone like me…!"_ Hades battled mentally in the shower. _"I mean, she's from Olympus University before she dropped out...Persephone would never be even interested in boys, right…? Maybe she found one...And what chance do I get…?"_

He sighed.

_"Persephone would not be interested in a workaholic like me...Hell, not even interested in a guy who studies every night…! Shit…Should I try asking her out…? She just wanted a garden, right…?_

_"Maybe out of place, but never bored...Maybe she would learn to love the place...The garden's outside, a few walks away from the door so...it's good, I think...And the poms will be in good hands, Persephone's...Her hands were not princess-dainty, but they're cool...I don't care if they're rough..."_

_His imagination provoked, teasing him about how she holds around a thick sapling gently...Ah, fuck! Not again!_

_"Shit! Shit! Shit!"_ He tapped his head against the bathroom wall heavily. _"Agh…! Fuck…!"_ He grabbed a soap to wash himself...again!

It was very late when Hades entered the bedroom. Persephone seemed asleep, face looking away towards the left side. Okay. Good.

He softly sighed and went towards the closet to grab some underwear, pants, and a shirt.

Unbeknownst to him, Persephone was a little shaken up by the slightest noise and found him dressing up for sleep.

_Oh, my. Look at his back! Just look at his ass!! That! Masculine! Ass!!_

She gulped, quickly shifting back to her original position when he was to face the bed. She pretended to be asleep as he began to wear his boxers. The slight creaking of the bed almost made her gasp.

_He smelled so good…_

_"This is so hard…!"_ her mind sobbed.

He eventually finished wearing his clothes and paused, hesitant to even lay his back beside her. He finally relented, slightly, his back a few inches from hers.

He closed his eyes to sleep. There was no need for studying. Tomorrow was a weekend. He could finally sleep...

 _"Hades…? You're so_ _big_ _…"_

_Shit. His damn imagination struck again!_

Morning came, and they were both sleepless. A knock on the door came, followed by the sound of unlocking. "Hades, I forgot to get my kids' pillows," Nyx's voice spoke.

Hades stepped out, slightly sagging lower eyelids evident under his eyes.

"Hades, I know that it shouldn't be your study time last night, but what's with those eyes?"

"Oh, fuck that!" he snarled as he headed towards the kitchen.

Persephone followed next, looking as sleepless as Hades was. Nyx paused as she watched the young woman from Olympus University wave a silent hello. "Persephone?"

"Uh, yeah…?"

Nyx's eyes went shifting between her and the grumpy man in the kitchen. She approached her. "Persephone...Did you two...do something…?"

The sleepy woman frowned, and after watching the young mom's silent hand gestures, her eyes widened. "What?! No! I didn't have sex with him!"

The young mom's eyes widened in surprise. "That's not what I meant!"

Persephone gasped and closed her mouth as Hades dropped his mug on the table.

The man uttered a yell of embarrassment. "Dammit, Nyx! Shut the fuck up!"

**Author's Note:**

> I am still unsure if I should make another chapter for this. I intended it as a sole chapter as a way to test the waters.


End file.
